


To show what we truly are

by navvy



Series: The choices we make [2]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Discussion of Abortion, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:33:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25655209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/navvy/pseuds/navvy
Summary: Aberforth has spent a long time coming to terms with the terrible death of his sister caused by his older brother's selfish actions. He has made his life's purpose to make sure Albus Dumbledore doesn't forget the consequences of his actions. But he is going to find that people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.Part two of the series, you may want to read part one to understand this one. I will write a small summary of part one at the endnotes anyway for those who don't want to bother.
Relationships: Aberforth / OFC, Albus Dumbledore/Gellert Grindelwald
Series: The choices we make [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1852957
Comments: 18
Kudos: 81





	1. Aberforth's comeuppance

**Author's Note:**

> All right, inspiration: I love, like a lot, the idea that the magical world is quite a lot bigger than we see at the movies (both the HP and Fantastic Beasts). In these movies, we only see a small part of the world, but it doesn't make any sense - to me - if everyone is like Dumbledore, Harry or Newt. If so, wizards wouldn't need places like Diagon Alley and most of the shops there because they can create everything with magic, they don't need to buy it. When I read "The Marriage Stone" which I have already cited as an inspiration for my HP's works, I loved her idea that the magical world is divided between the elite: people very strong magically who go to the famous Schools (Hogwarts, Dumbstrang, etc) and the common people, those who don't receive a letter for Hogwarts, who don't get a wand (or maybe inherit some family wand or wand-like item) but who actually make up most of the Wizardly World. 
> 
> I mean I think that makes sense, doesn't it? If not, it would mean that Hogwarts receives all the children to be schooled from, at least, the UK and probably some surrounding countries like Ireland (we have at least an Irish student at Hogwarts that we know). And that is such a small number! I think we see at the books around 40 eleven-year-old First Years every year, 40 for all that territory? That would mean the WW has more serious problems than Dark Wizards. The other alternative would be that there are other Magic schools besides Hogwarts, and that would work too. But I like Darcy's idea better, so I am working with that theory. For my world, there are magically strong wizards educated at Hogwarts and the rest of the WW is educated at home or maybe in some small local minor schools if the area has enough people to warrant it. Most of the people are 'common' people and the power wielded by someone like Dumbledore or Grindelwald is... very much beyond their imagination. 
> 
> For the name of this story, it comes from Dumbledore's quote in book 2: "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."

Joel looked bleary-eyed at the front of the room where the door had suddenly opened. He had been drinking for a few hours now as he did every weekend once he received his miserable pay for his miserable work. He feared for a moment that his wife - Dolores, a miserable witch who had married him out of lack of other prospects after she ruined her former engagement because a scandal - would have come for him to drag him home and complain about his wasteful habits.

It most certainly wasn't Dolores. 

The man at the front, didn't look anything like his ugly wife. Actually, he didn't look like someone who would need drown his sorrows in a dump like this one. Slim, tall and smartly dressed in a dove-grey suit, he would have stuck out like a sore thumb even if he didn't sport a bright head full of auburn hair grown long past his shoulders and beautifully styled. Nevertheless, he walked in confidently, like he owned the place, and went straight to the counter close to Joel's seat. A small hint of _fragrance_ followed him around and below the clear hints of sandalwood and cinnamon Joel detected _omega_ , a mated omega at that. 

Despite the despondency he had been feeling all evening - all the week, maybe all his life before now - this unexpected presence drew his attention unerringly, as nothing had ever done before. He had always looked down on people who gossiped or tried to listen on other's people business, but this strange man had caught his attention on a level he couldn't explain rationally. 

Joel wasn't a strong wizard, he - and everyone on his family as long as they had memory - hadn't received a letter for Hogwarts. He didn't belong to the elite, those wizards whose magic was strong enough they needed to be educated at one of the main schools for their own security and the security of those around them. 

No, Joel was a common wizard. He had been taught by his father to use the family magic working as a carver at the craft shop to make the customer's commissions. He didn't have a wand but the instruments of his trade weren't the same as the Muggles': he could 'sense' the wood nature, work it and carve it into beautiful creations. Well, most of the time everyday wood utensils like spoons or cups, sometimes even a wardrobe. 

This man, however, was something else, something Joel had never met in person before. When he got to the counter and started a conversation with the waitress, Joel felt the compulsion to lean towards him, to get close like a moth to the light. He couldn't explain the reason but he felt like he needed to touch that bright red tresses he had so near to his reach. The hushed conversation reached his ears.

"How long before he returns?" - the redhead asked.

"He stepped out for a moment to go to talk at one of our suppliers. He has suspected for a while now that he is cheating us and Aberforth wanted to speak to him in person. I told him he won't be able to do anything without proof but he wanted to 'try and intimidate him'" - Glenn, the waitress snorted incredulously. The redhead laughed merrily in response, clearly entertained at the concept. 

"That I would like to see. Hopefully, he will bring this person back here and we will be able to see this 'intimidation' at work" - the man said amusedly while taking a seat at the counter to wait.

"Would you like a drink while you wait for him, honey?" - Glenn asked in a warm voice, much more polite and helpful than she was to the town folk. Glenn was a beta and happily married but clearly she wasn't unaffected by the pretty omega, or above flirting a bit with him.

"A butterbeer will be fine. But if you got the time I was also trying to locate the name of a person who should have been seen around here about twenty-six years ago. She then emigrated to the States in April 1901, I would like to find her family. Could someone around here help me?" - the redhead asked politely like he was dining at a fancy dinner instead of taking a drink at a dirty pub. 

Glenn picked up the chosen drink and took it to the wizard, her curiosity picked up by the question. She started to clean up the counter while she considered the issue.

"This place doesn't see a lot of change. I already lived here twenty-six years ago although I worked at Diagon Alley until last summer when my husband got badly hurt and I had to get a job closer to home to take care of him. I can't remember any of the girls running away to the States at that time and that would have been food for gossip" - Glenn pondered out loud. 

"I don't know if she lived here or not. I just know she was involved with someone in this town before she left. Oh, well, maybe they weren't open about their relationship and the people at the town didn't know about it. She had a mishap a while ago and she left some valuables behind. I have been asked to try and track her family down to see if they want them. I was coming into town to talk to Aberfoth and thought I could take advantage of it and ask around a bit but if she was so discreet maybe it will be difficult to find the connection and I will need to pursue other avenues to find them" - the man explained easily, his attention just half on the conversation while he looked around curiously like he hadn't been at a pub before. Joel could believe it, with that looks he would have been eating alive if he frequented places like this one. Glenn's attention had been further picked at the mention of valuables.

"Oh, but that would be a shame if you are unable to find them! They may not even know her fate. A mishap you said? Is she dead then?" - Glenn asked, leaning towards the other wizard with curiosity. 

The redhead nodded mysteriously in return and said gravely.

"I am afraid she is no longer with us, the poor soul. But she crossed paths - briefly, they were unable to share names - with an old acquaintance of mine and we wished to find her family. As I said, she left a few things behind and I wished to bring closure to her family on the matter" - the omega explained calmly. 

Joel was almost leaning out of his seat in his effort to get closer to the redhead. The wizard hadn't given any sign of noticing him during the time he had been talking with Glenn, but now he had something of interest to draw his attention into him.

"Oy Glenn! Didn't that Scottish girl Nessa or Nessia left the town around that time? I remember her: tall, dark-haired, skinny. She wasn't from around here but she had a cousin, Crissy Bells, working at the sweet-shop and when Crissy left to marry the cobbler she recommended her. She worked here for a few months but she didn't talk to us, a bit too lofty for this town it seemed, and then her sister came to visit and the two of them claimed that some aunt left them an inheritance and they packed her bags and left" - Joel said in a rush. He had been barely able to finish all he remembered with the clear blue eyes of the redhead fixed on him. 

"That could fit the timeline I have been given, Nessa or Nessia you said? Do you have any last name? Or for the sister?" - the omega asked while a quick gesture of his hand made a small parchment and quill to appear before him from thin air. Joel was so surprised at the show of wandless magic that he failed to answer. Glenn's voice brought him back from his astonishment.

"Nessia Mckenna, and her sister was called Eilidh. But she wasn't stuck up at all! She was just shy I think. A sweet girl. I remember her helping out with the children at the shop. I think her family wasn't too supportive of her, too many girls you see. She had three other sisters besides Eilidh and they couldn't afford any more mouths to feed, she had to accept her cousin's reference but it wasn't her dream job: although she liked to deal with the kids, she didn't enjoy the shop work at all. She wanted to work with children in other settings, teaching them or helping them" - Glenn said, mildly scolding Joel's words. 

Joel wasn't even offended because he was still too surprised at the redhead's conjured parchment and quill. The wizard took note of their comments before he smiled again.

"You have both been very helpful, I will certainly follow this lead. Is there anyone else who went missing around that time that you can remember? Even if you are not sure of the dates" - he asked cordially, looking between the two of them. 

Glenn and Joel gave a few other potential names, but neither Joel nor Glenn could tell for sure if they had left the town at that year or not. But as Glenn had said, there wasn't a lot of movement around the town so the list was still very short. The wizard made another amazing show of wandless magic, vanishing the parchment and quill again with a gesture of his hand. He then returned his attention to his butterbeer and engaged Glenn into more current gossip which the waitress was happy to indulge.

Joel didn't contribute to the discussion any further, but he was happy to stay near the omega's presence. He didn't expect this polished male to answer to his interest - and his wife would probably castrate him if she got wind of it - but the redhead's presence was intoxicating and Joel was happy enough to be allowed to stay near.

* * *

Aberforth was trudging towards The Hog's Head in a foul mood trying to avoid the worst of the snow. He had wasted a whole evening trying to get his Firewhisky supplier to admit he wasn't giving him a fair deal. Fletcher was a loathsome person who shouldn't be allowed to make business with decent people. He had dodged and dithered and promised nothing but to bring the next supply for the following week on time as always. The whole time he had seemed to be laughing at Aberforth's efforts like he knew something Aberforth didn't. 

Aberforth hated his brand of person. He hadn't met Fletcher at Hogwarts, he was almost ten years older than him, but he would bet he had been a Slytherin. Sly and ambitious, always trying to find a better deal for themselves. Not that the members of the other houses lacked that characteristics, you only needed to look to Aberforth's own brother...

Aberforth tried to stop that train of thought, but he wasn't able to. Albus had, unfortunately, been on everyone's thoughts and conversations the whole week. Since he had been publically outed as an omega - _omega!_ when had that happened? - and detained by the Ministry, people all over the world had risen in outrage, crying for the professor liberation. 

Aberforth was torn about the whole situation. While he held no love for his brother and thought he deserved to suffer the consequences of his actions for once, Travers' heavy-handed actions stank of authoritarianism and abuse of power. Aberforth didn't pretend to be a scholar or a clever man as his brother, but even he was aware that the Ministry man hadn't detained Albus because he was an omega hiding his condition but because he wanted to use him as a weapon against that German. 

And that was a whole new can of worms for Aberforth. He felt it would be poetic justice for Albus to have to confront - and possibly kill - that blonde bastard who had ensnared him and made him forget what was important. Made Aberforth lose the most important person in his life. But the question Aberforth was unable to answer was: would Albus be able to fight the men he had loved? Even a more hidden voice in his head - who sounded curiously as Ariana - asked further: had Albus stopped loving him? Had the blonde stopped loving Albus?

Aberforth had tried to discretely figure out what had happened to Albus. He had even walked to Hogwarts and talked to Dippet, who had barely remember Aberforth and didn't remember he was Albus' brother so he had been very disinclined to give him information. The only conclusion Aberforth had reached was that the Ministry had planned to force Albus into some matting ritual, after passing some demeaning laws against omegas' freedom, and that something had gone wrong and the omega had escaped the Ministry's hold. 

Knowing his brother and the Ministry's incompetency the mishap could have been anything from a botched ritual which had allowed his brother to escape to some of his _friends_ infiltrating the Ministry and getting him loose. 

Whatever the means, Albus seemed no longer be in the Ministry's hands and he had, as usual, neglected to inform Aberfoth of his whereabouts. He would probably reappear some months from now, unexpected and unwelcome, with some harebrained tale about his adventures and he would send some - unanswered - note to Aberfoth informing him of his return. 

Aberforth shook his head at that still-to-be-sent note while he opened the back door of the bar. He didn't care what his _apparently omega_ brother did as long as it didn't affect Aberforth or his bar. No matter what the other insinuated he hadn't bought the bar at Hogsmeade to keep an eye on the elder wizard. It had been just a coincidence he had found a fitting place for his business so close to his brother's place of employment a few months after he had accepted the position. It had nothing to do with Albus at all no matter that, before Albus had become the youngest teacher at Hogwarts, Aberforth had been looking into some places at Diagon Alley. 

Aberforth opened the door to the bar, his eyes already searching for Glenn's dirty-blonde hair but his heart almost stopped when he spied another much brighter locks. A well-known auburn hair above a familiar set of bright blue eyes which had turned on his direction when the door opened. 

The man's smile reflected no amusement but was only a polite show of welcome which reflected on his words too.

"Hello brother. It's about time for you to arrive. We need to talk" - Albus Dumbledore said in a tone which broke no argument.

Aberforth felt rebellious already.

* * *

Aberforth's sense of rebellion hadn't abated, not even when he took his brother to his own office. He had thought he would get the upper hand by forcing his fastidious brother to step into the dark, cluttered office which he used to manage the bar. 

He was disappointed by the older's reaction although he should have expected it. Albus had taken a look at his surroundings and wordlessly - and wandlessly - conjured a beautiful seat, more detailed and rich than anything Aberforth had in his office - or his bar for what it mattered - and more complex than anything Aberforth would ever be able to create if he spent his whole life learning the magics involved.

Albus took a seat on his chair and looked expectantly at the other. Aberforth, just to be contrary, took his time walking to the other side of the desk and tooking a seat on his drabby little chair. He was then, finally, able to take stock on his brother's appearance. He was as flawlessly perfect as usual. He had grown his hair and returned it to his natural colour, and how had Aberforth didn't realize he had presented as omega when he had muted the colour? While redheads weren't always omega, the bright colour was rarely seen on betas, the ones who had red-hue hair, it usually got darker or blonder with age. Albus' hair had been the natural tone and it had stayed so past his seventeen birthday. He also wore a perfectly tailored grey suit which fitted his slim body like a globe and a perfectly trimmed beard. 

He didn't look at all as he was in the run of the Ministry. Aberforth was actually surprised no one at the bar had apparently recognized him. Albus had made quite a name for himself even before this last stunt but no one had looked remotely surprised by his presence at a small bar at Hogsmeade. Aberforth suspected some kind of Confundus. He looked suspiciously to his brother while the other looked back innocently.

After a few minutes, where Albus didn't bother to start the conversation looking around the office like it was the most fascinating place he had ever seen, Aberforth finally broke the silence.

"So, you are here again? How did you manage to convince the Ministry to release you?" - he asked gruffly, irritated with himself for being unable to stand the pressure but always too impatient with that kind of games his brother excelled.

"Oh, I haven't" - Albus said cheerfully like he wasn't admitting he was in the run. Aberforth had to make an effort not to gape like a mindless fool. 

"What do you mean you haven't? You are here, aren't you?" - he asked dumbly. 

Albus' face took a thoughtful air then.

"Well, I suppose that technically I have done as they asked from me and married the man elected by the ritual. I was detained for 'hiding' my condition as omega and I was to marry the man chosen for me and be taken into his custody. All that happened, I got married, the bond has been formalized and sealed - repeatedly - so I am no longer a ward of the Ministry" - Albus elaborated with a serious air although his eyes gave away how amusing he found the whole situation. 

Aberforth felt even more at loss than before. 

"You are married..." - he said slowly, trying to test the words out loud. Albus nodded with an amused smile and lifted his left hand to show off the wedding ring on his ring finger. It was a beautiful platinum polish band with seven diamonds set in half of the surface around the curve. It was clearly expensive, flashy and very Albus. 

Aberforth lacked the words to question his brother. He looked too cheerful, too indifferent to the fact he had been forced to marry against his will. Even if he had been able to swindle whoever idiot he had ended with - that Elias Dodge? Elphias Doge? he had been friends with at school, maybe? - Aberforth would have expected some rage at the situation if only because he had his hand forced. Albus looked like any happy newly married man. Albus seemed to take pity on him finally.

"I got married at the ritual the Ministry arranged. My husband and I took off to finish the bonding at his... home. We have finalised the bonding as it was devised and took a few days for a honeymoon if you want to call it that. Now, we are spreading the word to those who couldn't be with us in that... rushed ceremony. Of course, I felt you deserved a personal visit as my brother" - Albus explained genially, his good mood apparently boundless that evening. 

Aberforth's suspicions were steadily rising although he wasn't sure what he was suspicious of. His mind was whirling trying to keep up with Albus' whirlwind spirit.

"Your husband... where is he then? Are you going to introduce us?" - he asked, not sure he wanted to meet with that Doge fellow again. A dull boy as a youth, he had followed around Albus' brilliant star like a moth to the light and he wouldn't be surprised if Albus was able to manipulate him as he pleased and that was the reason he was this happy. 

Albus smiled mischievously in a way Aberforth hadn't seen him smile since they were young.

"Oh, you don't need introductions, of course. You know each other pretty well although it has been a while since you saw each other's last. He certainly wants to meet you again, so you can welcome him into the family" - Albus said, his voice as roguish as his smile like he had a secret he wanted to share.

Aberforth nodded resigned. He didn't understand Albus' mood or his troubles with the Ministry but he could at least meet that poor idiot his brother had managed to fool. He should at least try to get him alone and warn him about his brother's... disposition. It was probably too late and Doge wouldn't thank him for it but Aberforth felt it was his duty to try. 

"Very well, I will welcome your friend into the family although I hope you two know what you are doing Albus, does this husband of your realize... what he has gotten into with you?" - he asked, the question rude even to his own ears. 

Albus, however, seemed unoffended although his smile looked sharper than before. He had risen from his seat to walk to the office door, he opened it and looked outside before he turned back to Aberforth to answer him.

"You don't need to worry Aberforth, my husband knows me better than anyone else in the world. You don't need to fear I have fooled some poor, ignorant wizard. Actually" - here Albus smile wasn't even trying to hide his satisfaction - "you may say we are... equals in this as in everything else" - Albus concluded darkly. 

Aberforth felt a line of sweat growing on his forehead with every word he heard. He was starting to feel faint like he couldn't breathe and the room had become smaller and smaller by the minute. He almost didn't need to see the tall figure which appeared at the office's door. Tall, even taller than he had been at seventeen, broader than then and as blonde as always: Gellert Grindelwald stood proud and smiling before Aberforth, the last men he had ever wanted to see again.

"Hello Aberforth, it has been a long time my good friend, or should I call you brother?" - Grindelwald asked, a dark smile gracing his handsome features while he flicked his wand to close the door behind him, locking Aberforth inside the room with the two men he hadn't wanted to see together ever again.


	2. Aberforth's nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Albus is brilliantly clever and Gellert wants to kidnap him again and carry him away into his dark dungeon... or bedroom really.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This part is quite fun, I just want to remind everyone that Gellert _hates_ Aberforth and blame him for losing Albus. His opinions are very much coloured by this hate. So his opinion is not 100% objective (or even 50% to be honest). 
> 
> That said, I don't... really care a lot for the character. I think he is on his moral high horse and trying to pretend to be innocent of Ariana's death. I don't pretend Gellert didn't end being a killer Nazi-like dictator. But at that point in time, he was a seventeen-year-old boy Aberforth hated, he started a fight with him and when it got out of hand it killed Ariana. He doesn't have grounds for pretending to be innocent of what happened. You could even argue he was the _most_ guilty of the three because he started the fight. And if Albus didn't know who killed Ariana is because the three of them were casting pretty damaging spells so... this all is to say my opinion is not particularly positive about this character. Maybe a warning for character!bashing? Although if you have read my previous story you know Aberforth isn't going to be a happy camper here.
> 
> Almost lastly, a bit of warning in this chapter. There is going to be the talk of abortion and unplanned pregnancy. I just want to warn you, just in case this is a trigger for someone. Also, I don't necessarily share the opinions exposed by the characters in this chapter. Aberforth's choices are being interpreted by people who don't particularly like him here, he may think like this, he may don't and you are all free to judge if his choices are right or wrong, this is just a story and I don't pretend to make moral judgements, just to tell a story. 
> 
> Finally, a small note. I read at the Harry Potter's wiki that the woman we saw at the ship with baby!Credence was credited as his aunt. I hadn't read this before and I am more afraid than ever that they are going to go with the Honoria route here, but I am making her Credence's aunt from his mother's side so it works with my theory and still not contradict the movie cannon just yet.

Gellert looked down into Aberforth Dumbledore's dumbfounded face with barely hidden disdain. He had, from the moment he had met him at Godric's Hollow, hated the brutish younger brother of his brilliant Albus. 

Uncultured but arrogant, ill-mannered but brash enough to be critical of other's people faults and mistakes, particularly the brother's who had been endlessly patient with him and tried to connect with dumb, goat-loving, ignorant children. 

Oh, yeah, Gellert had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Aberforth seemed to have recovered a few of his wits - the little he had to start with - and his face was turning red on his growing rage.

"You are not my brother! And if this one" - he pointed Albus with an accusing finger, Gellert bristled in automatic response - "has chosen to return at your side again - against all decency - he is not my brother either!" - Aberforth said, his tone blinded by rage. 

Gellert expression turned dark at the insult towards his husband but Albus, who had kept leaning against the door of the room, walked to Gellert's side to place a calming hand on his shoulder while he responded coolly to his brother.

"He is indeed your brother-in-law Aberforth unless you have decided to renounce to your name and your place in our family. As head of the family, I can grant you the distance you wish from me and my family and you can become nameless, no longer a Dumbledore and no longer my brother" - Albus said cooly. 

Gellert felt his mind to calm and his body to relax at Albus' words and actions and his mood returned to his previous state while he saw Aberforth's reaction towards the not-so-veiled threat. 

"Do you think I care about my name or my place as a Dumbledore? Do you think that I care if I am not longer considered the son of a Muggle-hatting murderer or the brother of a..." - Albus nonchalantly silenced his brother wandlessly.

"Our Muggle-hatting father was dubbed so because he killed the boys who hurt his daughter and he didn't give the real reason to do so to protect Ariana, you would do well to remember that as much as you claim to have loved her. As for me, you will forgive me if I don't care to hear _again_ your opinion on my choices. I ask you again Aberforth and it would behold you to think it carefully, do you want to be released of your bond to our family? Are you aware of the implications of this choice?" - Albus asked evenly, neither his voice nor his mannerisms giving away what he thought of his brother's decision. He then lifted the spell which had silenced the younger wizard to allow him to answer. 

Gellert stayed as he was, slightly in front of his mate between him and Aberforth like he could make a barrier with his body against the pain of his brother's words and decisions. He surrounded Albus' shoulders with his free arm, while he held his wand on his right-hand loosely pointing it to the floor still but ready to curse the fool if he deemed necessary.

Albus stayed firm and collected looking into his brother's blue eyes, almost identical to his own. Although Gellert would swear a vow that Albus' eyes were much more lively and bright.

"Consequences? What has that name brought me but pain and a bad reputation? Between you and father, I will soon be unable to find a decent job once you drag the Dumbledore name through the mud again taking up again with that psychotic killer" - Aberforth said bitterly. 

Gellert was unable again to keep silent at that.

"Oh, is your brother flawless reputation as a magical genius and a peerless Professor of the most prestigious School of Magic the reason you haven't found a decent job? I suppose you were given credit to open this bar by your own means and reputation, didn't you? Just a Hogwarts' drop-out without any experience managing a business, you must have seemed like a safe bet for the Goblins. I don't suppose your failure at finding other jobs has nothing to do with your the fact you are a below-average wizard and a witless fool" - Gellert taunted darkly. 

Albus had tensed at Gellert's words about the bar credit throwing him a quick sideways look but he returned his attention to his brother. 

Aberforth red colour was starting to match his brother's hair. It didn't fit him half as well as Albus beautiful locks in Gellert biased opinion.

"Do it then! Let's end this farce and go our own ways. I don't want to have the Ministry calling to my door looking for any of you although I will be happy to send them to you" - Aberforth said carelessly. Albus straightened at his brother's words, his face void of any feeling, a contrast to his brother's red features. 

"Do you understand the consequences of this? If you do this, you will renounce to any rights and heritage as Dumbledore. Any authority, any legal claim to our family, you will no longer hold it" - Albus warned quietly. 

"What heritage? That dilapidated house at Godric's Hollow? You can keep it. The debts our mother left us with? I am sure you have finished to pay them off. Don't think I am so foolish as you think me to be, I am aware there is no money in our vaults and anything you have gained you kept in your own personal Vault. There is nothing of value in the name of Dumbledore. I renounce to everything in it and leave the family and everything and everyone liked to the Dumbledore's name" - Aberforth almost screamed.

Albus smiled darkly.

"So mote it be" - he said tightly, waving his wand to firm the vow with the head of the family authority. A gentle light illuminated Aberforth's head for a moment and then it moved towards Albus flying over the auburn locks before gently setting on Albus' head until it dissolved. Gellert smiled, admiring as always his mate flawless plans. He tightened the arm he held around Albus' shoulders and kissed his forehead fondly.

"I stand corrected _liebling_. You are capable of making your brother renounce his rights without any threat of violence" - Gellert said admiringly, laughing. Albus smiled back leaning against the taller body. 

"I told you he would be easily led towards our objective. He is too a hothead and too arrogant to allow himself to think it over or ask someone else for advice" - Albus said easily, his body relaxed now as it hadn't before against the blonde man.

Aberforth face was a mix of bewilderment and returning anger. 

"What are the two talking about? Don't you think you can act all mysterious like you have done something clever Albus" - he threatened darkly. Gellert's mismatched gaze locked on the stupid wizard which didn't fully realize what he had done. But he would.

"That is Lord Grindelwald as my lawful husband, bartender. Or Professor Dumbledore as he has yet to be released from Hogwarts' staff, and he is keeping his last name. Don't presume you can claim any familiarity now" - Gellert warned harshly. 

Aberforth gaped unattractively to the Dark Lord in response. Before the situation could scale, Albus interceded.

"There is something else I want to know before we are finished Aberforth, forgive me for the familiarity as you haven't gotten a new name yet and I can't address you by your former last name you have renounced" - Albus said amusedly, clearly aware that the other wouldn't have even considered that complication just yet.

Aberforth face show he hadn't gotten past his shock before he got this new one. Albus continued with their business impatient now to reach the real reason they had come here.

"What was your relationship with Nessia Mckenna?" - Albus asked quickly, looking his brother into the eye. Gellert took mental note of the name. Albus must had been sucessful at the bar, he had felt they would have an easier time getting his brother to answer if they had a name to ask. Gellert focused on Aberforth's reactions trying to read him even if he couldn't read his mind, as Albus was obviously doing. He had always been a gifted Legilimens where Gellert found difficult to reach other's minds.

Aberforth reaction didn't disappoint, he was surprised, guilty and trying to hide it without success. Wherever Albus had found that name, it was the right one unless the other man had more than one secret. 

"Where did you hear that name? She left with her sister and it had nothing to do with me, one day she was just gone and never returned" - Aberforth said uneasy, clearly taken aback by Albus' sudden question and apparent change of subject. 

Albus stayed silent for a moment longer, still looking at his brother in the eye. The fool didn't even try to avert his gaze showing again his utter lack of magic knowledge. Few people was able to Legiliment and even less could Occlument, but the theory behind the spells should have been known to any wizard worth his salt and the eye-contact needed should have tipped the other off. Albus finally sighed sadly turning to Gellert with a shake of his head.

"It's as you said, he believed she lose him and when she left he didn't bother to question it, a problem solved one way or another" - Albus explained. 

Aberforth, dumb as he was, wasn't such a fool that he wasn't able to understand the implication with the name of the girl having been mentioned.

"What do you mean? What do you know about Nessia? Are you implying that she had another reason to leave? That she didn't... That can't be, you are mistaken! Eilidh wrote to me telling her sister had died, you are trying to confound me. It won't work whatever plan you have concocted I went to her funeral" - Aberforth said, strangled. 

Albus fixed his gaze on his brother's face again and this time Aberforth seemed to realize what he was doing because he quickly averted his eyes. Too late by Albus' expression, his words confirmed this. 

"Nessia died, and you thought it was because she had complications when miscarrying the child, but you were mistaken. Eilidh was clearly a kind woman who loved her sister very much and she must have feared what you would do with a child you didn't want. Or maybe Nessia asked her to be the one to bring up her child and tell you nothing. Whatever the reason..." - Albus trailed off for a moment like he was weighing how to deliver the news although they had talked about this already. Albus finally continued, his tone serious - "Nessia never tried to abort, she carried the baby to term and for some reason, probably because the poor conditions her sister and she were living, she died in childbirth. Eilidh arranged the funeral and hid the child from you. She told you she had become weak because of the aborting potion and died months after because of how weak she had become. A plot to keep the truth hidden from you" - Albus concluded. 

Aberforth's rose from his seat and leaned towards his brother.

"Are you telling me that the child survived? That I have a child somewhere out there now?" - he asked. 

Albus denied with his head, his face a cold mask of indifference when he answered the question.

"Aurelius Dumbledore is my heir now and he will soon be Gellert's and mine blood-son. You don't have any children as per your wishes. You renounced to 'everything and everyone' linked to the name of Dumbledore, and Aurelius has accepted that name already so he is no longer anything yours or have anything to do with you" - Albus said satisfied, Aberforth seemed torn between rage and betrayal.

"That's absurd! I can't renounce to a son I didn't know I had! You can't steal him from me" - he raged furiously while Albus looked on curiously. 

"You didn't bother to know him or to search for him once his mother left. You paid for her to abort him and washed your hands off him and her. But you are right, despite all that you could still have claimed him as your son and tied him to you by that bond... until you renounced your link to the Dumbledore's name" - Albus explained calmly like he was teaching one of his classes to a particularly dumb batch of First Years. 

"Why have you done this then? I didn't know about him and you could have adopted him and kept him from me without all this theatre" - Aberforth asked in an almost strangled voice. 

Albus had pushed Gellert to his conjured chair and pushed him down to sit, placing himself on his lap with Gellert's happy compliance. Only then he turned back to his brother to answer him.

"Of course we could adopt him without your leave Aberforth. But I wanted to make sure you couldn't hurt him in any way further on. If I had adopted him while you hadn't renounced him, it was always possible for you to make a claim on him. He would be your son still, even while he was ours also. He could, of course, renounce to you the same way you have renounced right now, but that would make him renounce the family magics and I didn't want for him to lose that, you see? There is no guarantee they would return with the adoption, after all. It's a similar chance as heritage, some children inherit some magics where others don't" - Albus explained easily. 

Aberforth didn't look in any way reassured. Gellert gave him points for starting to understand his obvious mistake. 

"Renounce the family magics?" - he asked warily, suspicion in every part of his body language.

"Of course, the Dumbledore have a story of quite a few magical traits. By renouncing to the name and the links, you lose those skills and potentially plenty of your magical core, didn't you know?" - Gellert asked maliciously. Albus nodded from his place on his lap, his voice again taking a teaching tone. 

"Mental magic, of course, run in our family. And the ability to bond with the great birds like the phoenix. There are a few other things like resistance to poison but probably the phoenix thing is the most flashy" - Albus revealed smiling again. Just in time because Fawkes chose that moment to flash into the room, Credence holding on his tail. 

His bondmate was a showy bastard, no wonder his familiar had turned to be a phoenix.

* * *

Credence wasn't feeling too certain about what it was going to happen. From the moment he had stepped away from Nagini to enter the ring of blue fire surrounding Grindelwald he had been uncertain he had made the right choice. The Dark wizard had known his true identity and he had been willing to share it with him but Credence hadn't survived his time with the New Salem by trusting people to give him anything for free. 

Grindelwald had been a particularly suspicious character. Credence hadn't known when he had switched with Director Graves - although he was starting to suspect he had never known the real Percival Graves - but, he was certain that from the moment he had known the Dark wizard, he had been trying to use him for some reason or another. 

Now, however, he was starting to feel a small sliver of trust despite himself, and that fragment had a name: Albus Dumbledore. Credence didn't count himself as a follower of the typical Alpha/Beta/Omega behaviour, but then again he hadn't met an omega before Albus. 

The omega was and wasn't a typical show of his gender. He was kind, beautiful, educated and as graceful as the books usually described omegas. At the same time, he was insanely powerful, clever, quick-witted and well-learned, a well-known teacher from the prestigious Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He didn't bow to any Alpha and he stood beside Grindelwald as his equal. 

Credence struggled to understand what his relationship with Grindelwald was. He had been told that the two of them had met years ago when they were younger, and had some kind of fallout because of Albus' sister death. But Credence had a hard time understanding how the two of them fit together. While it was true that Albus was the only wizard powerful enough to be Grindelwald's equal, he seemed kind and committed to the path of non-violence where Grindelwald was Dark and uncaring about collateral damage, to say the least.

Still, Albus seemed committed into making it work with Grindelwald, to change his movement into something which would take over the current political system - without having to kill everyone opposed to them - and help them to avoid the future the blonde wizard was glimpsing in his Visions. They seemed, strange as it was, deeply in love and even Credence was able to see the deep devotion Grindelwald hold for the redhead.

For Credence, he had found in Albus the family he had always wanted and only glimpsed from afar. The older wizard had taken him under his wing, lovingly welcoming him into his life and his family and teaching him all he should have been taught from the start. He had offered the truth about himself being utterly honest about his own past and flaws. The death of his sister, his estrangement of his brother - Credence's father - and the hiding of his status as omega to be able to lead the life he wanted once he had fought and parted from Grindelwald. 

Once they had settled on their new lives, with Albus starting to get comfortable in Grindelwald's home and movement, he had, in turn, tried to offer the same stability to Credence. From the very first moment he had accepted him as his nephew and part of his family but, while they got to know each other, they started to get closer and Credence started to wish for a closer bond. Albus seemed to feel this and he suggested the last bond he could offer to the younger wizard: blood-adopt him as his and Grindelwald's son. 

The one thing he most wished and something he hadn't expected to find. He had spent the last year travelling the world to find his roots and he had found something better: a true family and people who wanted him in their lives forever. But Credence had felt he needed to do something before he formally became a Grindelwald-Dumbledore: he needed to meet his blood-father. 

Albus had accepted his wish with equanimity, clearly expecting it. Credence had realized that the older wizard was very adept at anticipating other people's thoughts and movements and he applied this skill not only to help Grindelwald with their plans but in every aspect of his life. 

Grindelwald, on the other hand, had been harder to convince. Credence had realized that the blonde wizard had a special dislike of Albus' brother. Credence suspected he would have been happy to visit him if he was allowed to kill him, but the thought of being at the same room as the younger Dumbledore brother and not being able to curse him was a bitter pill to swallow. 

And he hadn't wanted for Credence to have anything to do with him. Albus on the other hand, while he wanted to help Credence to fulfill this last wish, understood Grindelwald's feelings and had agreed with some of his concerns. He had explained some of the complications to Credence. Credence hadn't grown in the Wizardly World and there were many things he was ignorant of. He learnt about family magics and the powers the Head of the Family had, as well as the powers the parents - from the magical perspective - held over their children. 

Albus didn't believe his brother would use any of those powers against Credence - Grindelwald had snidely admitted he probably didn't even know he could - but given the Ministry actions of late, he wasn't confident that they wouldn't use every weapon in their reach to try and bring Albus and Grindelwald to heel. 

So he had started to plot. 

Credence had quickly figured out that Albus was a master plotter. For a mind as brilliant as his, the world was a giant chessboard and he was the master player. Not even Grindelwald could surpass him when he devised a plan and Credence had the firm suspicion that, if Albus had remained opposite to Grindelwald at the war, he would have defeated his former lover at the end. And he was reasonably certain that the blonde was aware of this.

As for the matter at hand, Albus had quickly worked a way for his brother to renounce any right over Credence. Grindelwald had been resistant to the plan - he much prefered to torture his brother-in-law into compliance or straight out kill him - but he admitted that 'getting the twit to voluntary renounce his own rights' was a fun notion. If Albus managed for him to do this and Albus was confident he could easily trick his brother into it. 

Credence sighed impatiently, caressing the red plumage of Albus' new familiar. Despite the fact the phoenix had initially appeared at Credence's side, it had been clear from the moment they met each other that Albus and he were made for each other. Fawkes, as Albus had called him, had flashed into Albus and Grindelwald's room the moment the two them 'ended' their honeymoon - much to the Dark wizard annoyance - and he had stayed at Albus' side despite the older wizard half-hearted tries to return him to Credence. 

Credence had finally told Albus to keep the bird - as it was clear it wasn't going to leave him anyway. He wasn't even angry about losing the phoenix as it was clear that the beautiful bird was a light creature and Credence firmly believed there wasn't anyone lighter than Albus. And seeing the two redheads walking around together was endlessly amusing, nonetheless because it annoyed Grindelwald when he 'intruded' in their intimacy. 

Right now, however, Credence was happy for the company of the bird while he waited for Albus to signal the phoenix to flash them to his blood-father. After so many years wondering, and even with the knowledge of Albus' acceptance, Credence was anxiously waiting for the long-waited meeting. He didn't fool himself into expecting it would be a happy reunion. With the knowledge of Grindelwald's Visions, he knew he hadn't been a planned pregnancy. Also, the trick Albus and Grindelwald were playing on the unsuspecting wizard would certainly predispose him against Credence. But he didn't want a relationship with the man any longer, he just wanted the closure of meeting the man who had fathered him, before he accepted the adoption which would make Albus and Grindelwald his true parents for the rest of his life. 

Fawkes stirred from his perch like he had heard something, his head tilting to the side. He fluffed his plumage and flew a circle above Credence for a few moments and Credence readied for what he knew it was coming. After another circle, Fawkes descended to Credence until he was within reach and when Credence grabbed his tail he flashed out of the room and into a different place.

Credence felt disoriented for a few moments when he arrived at the crowded, grimy office so different from the big, airy rooms of Nurmengard. He immediately saw Albus and Grindelwald seated before the desk in an out-of-place chair - clearly conjured by Albus - and at the other side of the desk, open-mouthed and red with anger, who could only be his blood father: 

Aberforth no-longer-a-Dumbledore. 

Credence released Fawkes' tail and while the bird flew to his human's side, took a deep breath and turned to the man who had contributed to his existence. 

"Hello, Aberforth. I am Aurelius Dumbledore, I think you knew my mother?" - he said as calmly as he had been taught, looking the older man straight into the eye.


	3. Aberforth's No-name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aberforth discovers that some times things are easily broken and hard to fix.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, inspiration again. I read the last chapter of "The greater good of IhaveAbadfeelingAboutThis" and I liked the wonderful theory that I am implying here: the Obscurial is attracted to strong magics, so people like Albus would be really in danger of them. I think this makes Albus' story even more tragic because Kendra's actions to protect Ariana (as well-intentioned as they appeared) put her other children in real danger and Abus in particular. I haven't fully developed this here because it's not necessary for my own plot and I don't want to 'steal' her story with mine, but as I have made mention of it I wanted to give full credit where it's deserved. It is a truly amazing work and a pretty long story, go to her all her work really, it's amazing!
> 
> Also, I picked up Glenfinnan almost at random, looking for Scottish places. It has the famous viaduct we saw at the films with the Hogwarts' Express and it's also pretty close to 'Eilean na Moine, Loch Eilt' which is the place where they filmed Albus' resting place.

Aberforth felt like the floor had opened under him and he was standing at the edge of a cliff, looking down at the abysm. From the moment he had seen his brother he should have known that the older wizard had done the unthinkable. It was, in hindsight, clear in every line of his body. The cheerful attitude despite the Ministry's actions. The arrogant way he had entered his office and then conjured his garish chair, showing off his magical's skills when he usually tried to tone them down to make Aberforth more comfortable.

Albus' attitude had resembled how he acted thirty years ago, after meeting that Dumbstrang's psycho. Even worse than seeing Albus acting like that, it was seeing the other man reacting to his omega. Because it was clear that the two of them were bonded now as Alpha and Omega. Against all expectation, the two of them had managed to meet again, resolve their differences and complete a mating bond. Aberforth felt sick at the thought, the memory of the consequences the last time those two had met was always present in his mind.

But even in his worst nightmares, he hadn't expected for his brother to do this to him. Albus' brilliant mind and ruthless strategies hadn't ever been focused on his brother or his brother's life, he never used them _against_ his brother. Despite all their disagreements and discussions, Aberforth realized that Albus had always avoided using his... advantages over him. Aberforth had always accused the older of showing off his superior grades and skills and holding himself above his brother because he had left school after taking his OWLs. 

His current situation was a clear sign of how much Albus had restrained himself when he had dealt with Aberforth in the past. Looking into his son's dark eyes, the son he had unknowingly discarded first and renounced a few minutes ago, Aberforth felt a wave of helpless regret. But it was too late now, and it had been too late from the moment his brother had reunited with his former lover.

Aberforth rose from his seat heavily leaning on the desk before him, feeling like he had aged a century in a moment but wanting to confront his fate on his feet. 

The boy, who had arrived dramatically grabbing the tail of a red bird - the bird had immediately flown into Albus' shoulder, showing the owner of the flashy bird... like there was any doubt - looked around for a moment before he fixed his dark gaze - Nessia's eyes - on Aberforth's. He straightened his back and looked to the older wizard cooly before he spoke with marked American's accent. 

"Hello, Aberforth. I am Aurelius Dumbledore, I think you knew my mother?" - the boy asked, his voice calm and collected reminding Aberforth not of his brother but of the blonde menace. That felt like a dagger to the gut for Aberforth, the thought that his son was being influenced by that insane wizard.

"Aurelius... I don't know what Albus or that man have told you about me but you need to know that..." - Aberforth started, trying to get closer to the younger boy to grab him, take him away, as far as possible of those two men. 

Aurelius stepped back from Aberforth and towards Albus and Grindelwald's seated forms who, Aberforth noticed disgusted, hadn't bothered to move from their seats, calmly watching the scene unfolding before them.

"Uncle Albus and Gellert hadn't talked much about you except to tell me the circumstances of my birth as far as they knew, which wasn't much. They hadn't pretended to know the reasons you had to ask my mother's to abort or why I was sent to the States" - Aurelius said, his cool demeanour reminding Aberforth again of the blonde Alpha who was even now regarding the procedures like a proud teacher watching a pupil excelling at their final test. 

"Your mother, Nessia. We weren't planning for a child, we just met a few weeks before Beltane and we went together to that festival. We didn't plan it, and I can't explain it but..." - Aberforth had stopped his tries to get closer to Aurelius and started to talk, trying to give his version regardless what lies the Dark Lord must have already fed the boy. He trailed off embarrassed, unable to explain his sexual life to his new-found twenty-something son. He saw Albus hiding a snort into his Alpha's equally amused shoulder and had to restrain himself of attacking them - mostly with the thought of the humiliating defeat he would suffer at their hands. Albus didn't spare any pity for his brother.

"Didn't you realize the power of the festival Aberforth? Beltane is the celebration of life, the greening of the world, youthfulness and flourishing. And they celebrate the Old customs here at Hogsmeade, that is the reason we never allow that weekend to be a Hogsmeade weekend at Hogwarts. Of course, an unmatted pair going together would be pushed to mate at that party if you didn't take any precautions. I take you didn't?" - Abus asked amusedly caressing the blonde's hair like he was taunting Aberforth. Grindelwald looked just as entertained as his partner although he was discrete enough, for now, to stay silent.

"They don't explain that at Hogwarts and don't act as you have known this all your life, Albus. Neither of us is one of those stuck-up purebloods who are taught this from the womb" - Aberforth said defensively looking pointedly to the blonde. Albus looked up to him unimpressed and turned to the silent boy behind him and Grindelwald.

"Aurelius, regardless of what schooling you choose, it would behove you to pick up a book on customs and festivals of the Magic World. Those are mentioned, at least at Hogwarts, in between several subjects such as History of Magic, Astronomy, Runes and Arithmancy but you can read an overview in almost any custom books you get a hold on" - Albus said calmly like he wasn't showing up Aberforth - "The outcome of willfully ignoring ancient customs marking them as 'pureblood propaganda' can have lasting consequences in your life" - Albus concluded smugly. 

Aurelius nodded thoughtfully with his head before turning back to Aberforth.

"So you went to the Beltane festival with my mother, without knowing the consequences, and got her pregnant. You didn't want me or her and after giving her the aborting potion washed your hands off us" - Aurelius stated cooly. He kept standing behind Albus and Grindelwald like he was their bodyguard. Aberforth was so irritated with them all that he almost missed the comment.

"How do you know about the potion?" - Aberforth asked, too shocked to even try to deny it. Aurelius hadn't been present when Albus had been stealing that information of his mind - and he had finally realized what the older wizard had been doing.

Grindelwald finally talked, raising his hand with a wicked smile on his face.

"That would be my doing. While your pathetic existence is irrelevant to the world, Aurelius' isn't. I had some visions of him and his past which helped me to uncover that information for him" - the blonde said, lowering his hand again and hugging the omega on his lap - clearly just to irritate Aberforth. And he was doubly irritated, he had forgotten the blonde's claim of being a Seer and he felt as incredulous of the fact as he had thirty years ago. Prophecy always had seemed very sordid business to him, full of nutters and tricksters.

Albus decided to intercede finally, rasing from Grindelwald's lap to surround the beta boy with his arm and calmingly told them what he had found.

"Her name was Nessia Mckenna, she was Scottish and had at least a sister called Eilidh and a cousin called Crissy Bells. She died at childbirth and it was Eilidh who tried to get you to the States, probably to give you a better life than you would have as an illegitimate child in England. As we already knew, Eilidh died at the ship sinking trying to rescue the wrong boy and you were taken to the orphanage by the Lestrange maid. We can try to track down the Mckenna and maybe this Crissy cousin" - Albus explained quietly. Aberforth wondered where and how he had gotten so many information - some of which Aberforth hadn't known and some who alarmed him greatly, what the Lestrange family had to do with his son?.

Aurelius however, nodded thoughtfully, his guarded face showing little of his thoughts. Albus turned again towards Aberforth.

"Do you need to ask something else from Aberforth?" - Albus asked, his voice dismissive. Aberforth felt his rising anger overflow again at the tone.

"I do have many questions to make, and I won't let this situation stand! I will go to the Ministry to have my son returned. I am sure they will be happy to have my rights reinstated and avoid to have a young boy be influenced by that monster" - Aberforth threatened hotly. Albus' impassive face wasn't reassuring but it was Grindelwald who spoke next, rising from the chair - which disappeared from existence the moment he left it - to stand next to his omega and Aurelius, the perfect picture of a family.

"You don't tire of showing off your ignorance, do you Aberforth? Your dismissal of the old customs is an embarrassment but it won't make them vanish, and your ignorance of the family magics and the consequences of your actions won't help you to avoid them" - Grindelwald said arrogantly, his tone soft but his stance threatening - "Your Ministry can't help you with this, because they can't void the magic you have invoked here. That magic is central to our world and it has existed before your pathetic Ministry was even conceived. You have renounced to your place within your family and this is an action which can't be revoked except for the Head of the family. And even if we were to accept you back into the family, it wouldn't return you to your former status or make you Aurelius' father again. You would be just a minor member of the Dumbledores, like a far cousin. You would have done well to speak to some of those 'stuck-up' purebloods as you call them, they may have taken pity on you and explained this if you were unable to actually learn it through your lessons" - Grindelwald concluded darkly, a textbook example of a pureblood specimen.

Although neither of the men at the room had lifted their wands against Aberforth, he felt the threat brewing around him. Albus seemed as cool as he always did, keeping his arm protectively around the dark-haired boy like he was his parent instead Aberforth and he was the one who was a threat to the boy. He looked calm but ready to curse Aberforth if he offered any threat to them. The boy, Aurelius, seemed calm but wary, he didn't look to Aberforth like he was his long-lost father but like he was just another disappointment in a life full of them. He had kept close to the alpha - omega couple, keeping them always between him and Aberforth like an impenetrable barrier. Although he hadn't taken out any wand, Aberforth was certain he had one hidden and he had been taught to use it. There was a strange air of violence around him that felt _strangly familiar_ in a way Aberforth couldn't possibly pinpoint. 

As for Grindelwald, the blonde had been aggressively watching Aberforth from the moment he stepped in the room. He was clearly spoiling to continue the fight they had started thirty years ago and which had ended with his sister's death. Aberforth was aware that the other man would have killed him then if Ariana hadn't stepped into the fight, and that he had only grown in power and ruthlessness over the last thirty years. When they first met, Aberforth could barely defend himself from the blonde, now he was ridiculously outmatched by him. 

Aberforth turned to the only wizard he knew was a match for Grindelwald and the one he would never admit he had always turned to when he was over his head.

"You can't let him do this Albus. Some part of you has to remember what happened the last time the two of you were together. You can't let Aurelius be the next victim of this madness. Don't you remember what happened to Ariana when she tried to get in the middle? And that was with her being..." - Aberforth trailed off, even now utterly unable to name what his sister had been. It wasn't Albus - who had kept a blank expression during his speech, his arm tightening around Aurelius - who answered Aberforth but Aurelius, surprisingly.

"Ariana was your little sister, wasn't she? Wasn't she was the reason your father ended in jail? The reason your mother died?" - Aurelius asked. Aberforth felt rage at his careless tone and condemning words.

"Ariana was an innocent child! She didn't know what she was doing, it was out of her control. You don't know what you are talking about! She didn't deserve to die as she was nothing because my brother didn't want to take care of her..." - Aberforth started to say, hotly. 

Aurelius' reaction wasn't what he was expecting, sharing a look with Albus and Grindelwald he took a deep breath and walking away from Albus and Grindelwald to stand apart from them all, raised his hand while closing his eyes. Aberforth felt his breath caught at his throat when a familiar dark cloud exited the boy's hand to circle around the room. He felt rooted to the floor while the malignant entity moved around the room like a strange swarm of dark magic. Albus and Grindelwald stayed silent watchers of the phenomena, clearly having seen it before. Aberforth almost believed they were completely calm when the cloud circled around them a few times although neither of them made any threatening gesture or showed any external reaction. Finally, the dark 'thing' went back to Aurelius getting reabsorbed through his hand and the boy lowered it while opening the eyes and looking to Aberforth's horrified face.

"I do know what I am talking about. Maybe better than you do. I am, as I believe your sister was, an Obscurial" - Aurelius stated quietly like he hadn't turned Aberforth world upside down again. He chose anger again towards the only entity he knew it deserved it.

"You did this to him! like you condemned Ariana!..." - he started, looking towards Albus. The redhead looked absurdly innocent back while he was silenced again.

"Me? An Obscurial grows in the absence of love when a child is put under a great deal of pressure and pain to hide their magic. I just met Aurelius a week ago, not only I have nothing to do with the growth of the Obscurial in him but I have nothing to do with his surprising control of it" - Albus responded evenly, his face showing almost no reaction. 

Grindelwald - who had surrounded his omega's shoulders again with his arm in protection - was unable to stay quiet at the attack on his omega, the wand on his hand making clear who had cast the silencing spell on Aberforth.

"Albus is being infinitely more gentle with you than you deserve Aberforth. Your ceaseless attacks on him grow tiresome. You should learn to accept your own faults and shortcomings instead of pushing them into others" - the blonde said darkly, he gestured into Aurelius' direction - "You abandoned the woman who was pregnant with your child and the consequences of that act have reached beyond what you could imagine. Albus had nothing to do with this as he wasn't responsible for your parents' abandon or your sister's sickness" - the Dark wizard concluded. Albus gaze to the alpha was sickeningly loving, turning his face to him and kissing him in the jaw in thanks. He turned again to Aberforth to reply to him.

"Gellert is right Aberforth. I will no longer allow you to push the guilt of Ariana's death solely in my shoulders. We all made mistakes that summer and Ariana paid for them with her life. But I don't regret meeting Gellert or falling in love with him, and our meeting wasn't the reason Ariana died, even if it may have hastened her fate. I don't know who cast the curse which killed her, but it was an _accident_. No matter what you think about Gellert or me, neither of us wanted to kill her. So unless it was you who wanted her dead, then it wasn't intentional. And the accident which killed her was a fight we all were involved in. A fight, by the way, _you_ started" - Albus said, serenely, like he had gone through that argument many times in his head to reach that conclusion. 

Aberforth felt defeated. He had realized, a long time ago, that the only way he had to control his brother was through the guilt he felt about Ariana's fate. If the older had concluded that her death hadn't been his fault, Aberforth had lost any leverage he had over the older wizard. With that loss, Albus was a free agent, free again to take up with that Dark Lord.

"So you abscond of any blame. The fact you wanted to get rid of her, to get rid of us is inconsequential for you" - Aberforth said coldly sitting heavily again in his old chair, still looking for a way to turn his brother back from the choice he felt was so wrong. 

Albus raised an eyebrow in response. 

"I was barely seventeen and not ready to take responsibility for any of you. I did the best I could, renouncing the Tour I had been planning for months and looking for a source of income for us in the face of our mother's sudden death and the little income - and many debts - she had left for us" - Albus said seriously. It was clear he had been given a different perspective of the situation. Probably by the alpha beside him.

"No, Aberforth. I am not longer seventeen and from the perspective of thirty years and as a teacher I can tell you that I wouldn't condemn any seventeen-year-old for being unready to take care of two younger siblings without any warning. You are very quick to put the blame on me, but when the time came for you to make the same choice, you chose to keep your life as it was and not take the new responsibility. I did the best I could as I knew how" - Albus observed. He looked every inch the righteous man and Aberforth struggled to find an argument against him. He was making it look like he was in the right and Aberforth in the wrong. 

"You hated us! You felt we were ruining your life and wanted an out!" - Aberforth said, losing control of his reactions and feeling cornered by Albus' calm manner - "That's nothing like Nessia's pregnancy. She chose to have the child, I didn't know about him! I thought she had aborted him. Aurelius, you have to leave those men and come with me. It is dangerous for you to be in such a stressful situation" - he said feeling attacked from every side. Albus' face was blank and Grindelwald disgusted.

Aurelius looked at with a pitying gaze.

"I am not your sister, sir and I don't think you understand what was what she had inside her or how to deal with it" - Aurelius observed. Aberforth felt offended at the comment.

"I knew my sister better than anyone and what was happening to her. I was the only one who was able to calm her! Albus, with all his vaunted power, just made her worse" - he attacked. Aurelius nodded unsurprised.

"I am not surprised she felt uncomfortable with Albus if she was as uncontrolled as you said she was" - Aurelius affirmed softly. Albus turned to him surprised by the comment.

"What do you mean by that?" - he inquired curiously. Aurelius hesitated for the first time since Aberforth had seen him, but Albus' open interest made him continue.

"An Obscurial... I can't explain it in technical words but I know how it felt inside me before I became capable to control it. It tries to protect the host so it is as attracted to magic as I was afraid of it. It would have made your sister both fascinated and repelled by you, uncle, going after you like a moth to a flame but also wanting to destroy you. It had nothing to do with her feelings about her brother or how you cared for her" - Aurelius explained sadly. Albus' face was difficult to read there were so many feelings in it. 

Grindelwald was easier, as usual, always seeing the advantage while he hugged the redhead closer to him in comfort.

"So the Obscurial can sense strong magic, skilled individuals?" - he asked. Aurelius nodded thoughtfully.

"I think so, anyone exceptionally strong who came close to me... It won't necessarily attack them at first sight, but it keeps them closely watched, to see what they do. I can feel it even now, it's interested in Albus and you, but now it's better integrated with me it knows you aren't a threat so it doesn't react badly. Ariana wouldn't have had that advantage. The Obscurial controlled her as mine controlled me before. The moment she felt scared, even sometimes just startled, it would come out and look for the source. And she would get the Obscurial impressions on people, she wouldn't understand the source or the reason and would react badly with those people" - Aberforth felt betrayed at the explanation. Both for the implication that his sister had prefered him over Albus because of an entity outside her control and for the idea that his own magic wasn't strong enough to feel like 'a threat'.

"I don't know why you have come here, just to torture me with your 'new family'? And you" - he turned towards Aurelius - "You have been clearly brainwashed by my brother and that... man" - Aberforth said bitterly.

He rose again and started to walk the small space behind the desk, feeling caged like an animal with the 'happy family' at the other side of the table. He was wondering if he had any way to call the Aurors without the other's noticing. Albus hadn't been clear about what had happened at the Ministry, but whatever scam of marriage they had done couldn't have any legality with Grindelwald being who he was. He had discarded Albus' words about the Ministry ritual once he had recognized the 'groom'. 

Albus kept his cool, as usual. He had turned fully towards Aberforth with Grindelwald hugging from the back and both of them observing him as hawks like he had read his intentions.

"Aurelius had some questions about his parentage and the circumstances of his conception. He wanted to know the reasons he had been left alone in the States being English born and without any of us looking for him. Gellert's Visions have its limitations" - Albus explained easily like he hadn't turned Aberforth's life upside down. Like he didn't care if he had. 

"And what now? Are you going to track down Nessia's family? Like the two of you can stroll around the countryside without care, without the Ministry breathing down your neck? You are going to Glenfinnan? " - he asked spitefully. He went on ranting without noticing his audience's reaction to the name - "You think you can do anything you want without consequences. But you can't, Albus. This man is a criminal and you will soon be labelled as one too once your association with him is known" - Aberforth concluded smiling satisfied for the first time since the two of them had cornered at his office. 

Albus' returning smile wasn't comforting.

"I was labelled as a criminal already, didn't you heard? Because I had known and was friends with Gellert thirty years ago, I was incarcerated. Then, the Ministry decided to force me to bond with one of his people who, in turn, would force me to fight. My innocence was of little interest to them" - Albus observed. Aurelius had walked back to the couple and he and Grindelwald had Albus between the two of them telling to the world they would protect him from any harm.

Aberforth shook his head in denial of the image and Albus' words.

"The Ministry has his reasons. That man is a threat! They wanted for you to fight him and you were not collaborating" - he said. Grindelwald's laugh wasn't kind.

"That is rich! So Albus has not free will, he must fight even if he doesn't wish to be involved. That sounds like a beautiful democracy and freedom you have here, Al. And people call me a tyrant" - the Dark Lord said amusedly looking down to the redhead in his arms. Albus shrugged in response looking up and back to him.

"Apparently, because I am your 'equal' it is my duty to oppose you. The fact that I am just a teacher and a private citizen is of little importance for Travers and his people. There were half a dozen of Ministry officials at that room when he put those binds on me and none of them moved a finger to stop him. I wasn't surprised when he returned to incarcerate me after the Paris raid" - Albus concluded and turned again towards Aberforth - "So to answer your question Aberforth, do I think Gellert and I can move around the countryside freely? Yes, I think we can. Between the two of us, I believe we can figure out a way to make it work, just as we did to confront you here, not a mile away from Hogwarts" - he affirmed amusedly looking as he had when he had managed to pull one over one of their parents.

"So you have done something to my clients! I knew it was strange neither of the recognized you!" - he blurted annoyed. Albus laughed in response, waving his hand carelessly.

"Well, nothing too strong. They aren't the sharpest tools in the shed and alcohol and general indifference to anything beyond their glasses is pretty common among your usual clientele. I just needed a small ward to convince them they didn't know me and they did the rest of the job themselves" - Albus said carelessly. Aberforth narrowed his eyes irritated, wanting to wipe off that smug smile from his brother's face.

"The Ministry won't be so easily tricked" - he affirmed. Grindelwald intervened again.

"They won't know where to search for us, will they? Why they would be expecting us in some lost Scottish village?" - he asked pointedly looking as arrogant as always.

* * *

Gellert looked down to Albus' foolish brother fighting down the urge to curse the idiot as he had last time. He was as insubordinate and ignorant as he had been at fifteen and now he didn't have the excuse of youth to explain his senseless manner. Albus didn't look like he was happy with his stance either so maybe Gellert would have the opportunity to teach him a lesson this time around. 

"Do you think I won't tell the Ministry where you are going the moment you leave here?" - the foolish man decided to open his mouth and confirm his stupidity.

"Do you believe you will be in any state to talk to the Ministry?" - Gellert asked in response, watching Credence at Albus' other side, effectively bracketing him between the two of them. Aberforth's comments and attitude towards his brother had their instincts going crazy - Gellert as an alpha defending his mate and Credence as a beta-child defending his omega parent as he saw Albus - even with his blood-parent in front of him. 

Aberforth seemed to realize he was very much outmatched by everyone else in the room and backed away from the desk to the wall behind. He finally took out his wand and tried to point it out towards Gellert. He had barely lifted his hand when Gellert wordlessly disarmed him, barely lifting his own wand. 

Aberforth's wand sailed through the air until it fell into Gellert's stretched hand. He pocketed it and turned towards Albus, cupping the omega's face and kissing him softly. After that, he took his hand and kissed it, ignoring Aberforth like wasn't in the room.

"You should go ahead and travel to Glenfinnan, see if you can track Nessia's family. No time like the present. I will finish things here and make sure we are not followed. I will reunite with you in a bit" - Gellert proposed quietly, wondering what Albus would say to leave his brother alone with him.

The redhead looked up at him, his clear blue eyes calm and trusting. He nodded in response to the unspoken question and kissed him again before turning towards Credence without hesitation, interlacing the boy's arm with his own and walking to the door.

"Be good, love. We don't want for the Ministry to have any confirmation of our whereabouts this soon" - Albus said warningly. Gellert felt a rush of _love_ for his beautiful mate, having the proof here of his love and trust.

"Of course, _liebe_. I will be with you in no time, Aberforth just needs a small... _push_ to see things our way" - he said with a dark smile in his face turning back toward the bartender while Albus left the room. 

He wouldn't waste the opportunity to make this fool pay for every minute he had spent away from his love. Aberforth pale face and bulging eyes made him smile, his wand already rising and a curse on his tongue. 

* * *

The sound of Apparition was heard at the inn, but then, no sound came out from the small office for hours. Glenn finally went looking for the older man when the time to close down the bar arrived and found him slumped at his desk looking and smelling like he had been drinking. She left him to his drunken oblivion, disgusted, and went to close the bar herself. 

Before she left for the night a stray thought crossed her mind, leaving her wondering what had happened with the redhead and how Aberforth could have known the exotic omega. A former flame? She chucked at the absurdity of the thought, it was funny she could barely remember his face and the memory faded more and more every step she took away from the bar until she had completely forgotten the man - and his questions - by the time she reached her home. 

The next day no one at Hogsmeade remembered the beautiful redhead and his presence at The Hog's Head. Aberforth didn't either, by the time he was able to rise from his bed - having fallen under a strange and painful sickness that same night - he had no memory of his brother's visit. 

Not until the hell broke loose with the Minister.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is the last chapter for this side-story. As I said before I have other ideas in the works and I appreciate any inspiration you gave me, right now I have three: 1) Travers' fate, 2) Gellert's followers getting charmed by Albus and an avanaka-inspired one (thank you again) 3) Newt's and the other's reactions. Any further ideas are welcome! I can't promise to actually write them but I will play a bit with them to see if they work for me.

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, I love giving Gellert an entrance :D.  
> Part one summary: Albus is discovered to be an omega at the end of Crimes of Grindelwald. The Ministry decides to force him into a bond to mate him to a Ministry's flunky and force him to fight Grindelwald. Gellert rescues him, marries him, and the two of them mend their relationship, with Albus joining Gellert's revolution to bring it back in line to what the two of them started. Gellert reveals that Credence is Aberforth's illegitimate child with a woman who planned to emigrate to the States so she could avoid her family and Aberforth's pressure to abort him. Albus took him under his wing to help him to grow into a loving and caring family, and learn what he needs about magic.


End file.
